WO2019000284A1

WO2019000284A1 - Method and apparatus for managing network slices

Info

Publication number: WO2019000284A1
Application number: PCT/CN2017/090616
Authority: WO
Inventors: Haipeng FANG
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2017-06-28
Filing date: 2017-06-28
Publication date: 2019-01-03
Also published as: CN110495197B; CN110495197A

Abstract

The embodiment of the present invention provides a method and an apparatus for managing network slices in a communication network. The steps mainly include receiving a slice instantiation request associated with a tenant； based on the slice instantiation request, creating a slice group for the tenant； wherein the slice group includes at least one network slice and each of the at least one network slice includes one or more NFs. The embodiment of the present invention can satisfy various requirements from tenants about isolation.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING NETWORK SLICES

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of communication network, and in particular, to management of network slices.

BACKGROUND

Facing 2020 and the future, mobile Internet and Internet of Things services will become a main driving force for 5G development. 5G will meet people's diversified service requirements on various areas, such as living, work, leisure, and transportation. Even in scenarios with features of an ultra-high traffic density, an ultra-high connection density, and an ultra-high mobility, such as a dense residential area, an office, a stadium, an open-air gathering, a subway, an express way, a high-speed railway, and WAN coverage, ultimate service experience, such as high-definition video, virtual reality, enhanced reality, cloud desktop, and online games, can be provided for users. In the future 5G, more vertical industries will be connected to 5G networks, such as Internet of Vehicles, intelligent manufacturing, smart grid. All these scenarios need to achieve real "Internet of Everything" . It is predicted that in 2025, 100 billion people and 90 billion things will be interconnected.

In 5G, various service requirements on networks differ in speed, performance, security, reliability, and latency. For example, scenarios of Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) , such as virtual reality and enhanced reality scenarios, have up to 10Gbps bandwidth requirements； scenarios of Massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC) , such as wearable scenarios and smart grid, need to support massive access； and scenarios of Ultra-reliable and Low Latency Communications (uRLLC) , such as autonomous driving, remote surgery, and industrial control, need to support an ultra-low latency of 1ms. Differentiated requirements in various scenarios and demands for ultimate experience pose great challenges to 5G communications equipment.

In the 5G mobile communications technology research, the industry acknowledges that the "network slice" technology can achieve a capability of flexibly building networks with different characteristics based on 5G scenarios and requirements. Fig. 1 shows an illustrative network including different network slices and each of the network slices is essentially a combination of a network function set and resources required to meet a type of users or some commercial services. For example, slice 1 is specialized to serve smart phones and slice 2 is specialized to serve autonomous driving. Actually one network slice is a complete logical network.

In some scenarios, to improve network and resource utilization, two different network slices may share some network functions (NFs) and therefore the two different network slices are not isolated. In terms of slice use and deployment, some customers (hereinafter “tenants” ) may subscribe to multiple slices, some tenants may have isolation requirements, and some tenants may not have isolation requirements. Therefore, independent deployment must be performed in terms of product function implementation.

To deploy and manage slices flexibly, a flexible network slices management method and corresponding apparatus that meets various requirements are required.

SUMMARY

To resolve the technical problems, embodiments of the present invention provide a method, an apparatus and a system for managing network slices in a communication network. For a tenant who has an isolation requirement, a slice that is isolated from a network of other tenants may be provided. Multiple slices within the tenant who has the isolation requirement may be deployed in an isolated manner or in a shared manner according to different requirements from the tenant.

For a tenant who does not have an isolation requirement, a slice may be shared with another tenant who does not have an isolation requirement as well.

In a first aspect of the present invention, a method for managing network slices in a communication network is provided. The method is performed by a slices management apparatus, the network slices providing a plurality of network functions, NFs, for use by one or more tenants. The method comprises the steps: receiving a first slice instantiation request associated with a first tenant； based on the first slice instantiation request, creating a first slice group for the first tenant； wherein the first slice group includes at least one network slice and each of the at least one network slice includes one or more NFs.

The embodiment of the present invention can satisfy various requirements from tenants about isolation. For example, some sensitive or privacy information of one or more tenants in a group can be well protected without being obtained or shared by other tenants not within the group； or slice resources are solely for those tenants within a group and will not be shared or used by other tenants not within the same group, so quality of service can be well guaranteed for those tenants within the group. In an implementation form of the first aspect, the method further comprises: receiving an updating request associated with the first tenant, and updating the first slice group according to the updating request； wherein the updating request carries the ID of the first slice group.

In a further implementation form of the first aspect, the updating step includes at least one of the following: adding a new slice, which includes NFs, in the first slice group； terminating an existing slice, which includes NFs, in the first slice group； adding NFs in an existing slice； terminating NFs in an existing slice； or reconfiguring NFs in an existing slice； or any combination of them.

In a further implementation form of the first aspect, the first slice instantiation request carries a field which indicates whether the first group is exclusive or shareable.

In a further implementation form of the first aspect, the method further comprises the steps: receiving a second slice instantiation request associated with a second tenant； determining if the first slice group can be shared by the second tenant； if yes, sharing the first slice group with the second tenant； if no, creating a second slice group for the second tenant. Sharing a slice group with other tenants can help save slice resources especially when slice resources are scarce. In a further implementation form of the first aspect, the step of determining if the first slice group can be shared by the other tenant includes: if the first slice group is shareable, and the second slice instantiation request carries a field which indicates non-isolation, then the first slice group can be shared by the second tenant； otherwise, the first slice group cannot be shared by the second tenant.

In a further implementation form of the first aspect, each of the slices in the slice group includes a plurality of sub-slices and each of the sub-slices includes one or more network functions.

In a further implementation form of the first aspect, the step of creating the first and/or the second slice group is performed by: marking one or more existing slices with a same group ID, or creating one or more slices and then marking the created slices with a same group ID； or creating one or more slices and then marking one or more existing slices and the created slices with a same group ID.

In a second aspect of the present invention, a slices management apparatus for managing network slices in a communication network is provided, the network slices providing a plurality of network functions, NFs, for use by one or more tenants, the apparatus comprising: a transceiver, one or more processors and non-transitory computer-readable memory storing a program to be executed by the one or more processors, the program including instructions for receiving a first slice instantiation request associated with a first tenant via the transceiver； creating a first slice group for the first tenant based on the first slice instantiation request； wherein the first slice group includes at least one network slice and each of the at least one network slice includes one or more NFs.

In an implementation form of the second aspect, the program further includes instructions for receiving an updating request associated with the first tenant via the transceiver, and instructions for updating the first slice group according to the updating request； wherein the updating request carries the ID of the first slice group.

In a further implementation form of the second aspect, instructions for updating the first slice group includes instructions for: adding a new slice, which includes NFs, in the first slice group； terminating an existing slice, which includes NFs, in the first slice group； adding NFs in an existing slice； terminating NFs in an existing slice； or reconfiguring NFs in an existing slice； or any combination of them.

In a further implementation form of the second aspect, the first slice instantiation request carries a field which indicates whether the first slice group is exclusive or shareable and the program further includes instructions for: receiving a second slice instantiation request associated with a second tenant via the transceiver； determining if the first slice group can be shared by the second tenant； if yes, sharing the first slice group with the second tenant； if no, creating a second slice group for the second tenant.

In a further implementation form of the second aspect, the program further includes instructions for: creating a first and/or a second slice group by marking one or more existing slices with a same group ID, or creating one or more slices and then marking the created slices with a same group ID； or creating one or more slices and then marking one or more existing slices and the created slices with a same group ID.

In a third aspect of the present invention, a system for managing network slices in a communication network is provided, the network slices providing a plurality of network functions, NFs, for use by one or more tenants, comprising: a business support system, BSS, configured to send a first slice instantiation request associated with a first tenant； a slices management apparatus, configured to receive the first slice instantiation request, and based on the first slice instantiation request, create a first slice group for the first tenant； wherein the first slice group includes at least one network slice and each of the at least one network slice includes one or more NFs. The slice management apparatus may be implemented as the apparatus according to the second embodiment.

In an implementation form of the third aspect, the BSS is configured to send an updating request associated with the first tenant； and the slice management apparatus is configured to update the first slice group according to the updating request； wherein the updating request carries the ID of the first slice group.

In an implementation form of the third aspect, the updating includes at least one of the following: adding a new slice, which includes NFs, in the first slice group； terminating an existing slice, which includes NFs, in the first slice group； adding NFs in an existing slice； terminating NFs in an existing slice； or reconfiguring NFs in an existing slice； or any combination of them.

In an implementation form of the third aspect, the first and the second slice instantiation request carry a field which indicates whether the first and second slide groups are exclusive or shareable and wherein: the BSS is configured to send a second slice instantiation request associated with a second tenant； and the slice management apparatus is configured to determine if the first slice group can be shared by the second tenant； if yes, share the first slice group with the second tenant； if no, create a second slice group for the second tenant.

In an implementation form of the third aspect, the step of creating the first and/or the second slice group is performed by marking one or more existing slices with a same group ID, or creating one or more slices and then marking the created slices with a same group ID； or creating one or more slices and then marking one or more existing slices and the created slices with a same group ID.

Further, the embodiment of this invention also provides a machine readable storage medium storing executable program instructions which when executed cause a data processing system (e.g. a slices management apparatus or the system for managing network slices) to perform the above steps.

In view of the foregoing, the embodiments of the present invention provides a method and an apparatus that can deploy and manage slices flexibly and therefore can satisfy various requirements from tenants about isolation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically shows an example of a communication system of the prior art；

Fig. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of a slices management system；

Fig. 3A shows a schematic diagram of relationship of different groups and slices；

Fig. 3B shows attribute information of different groups；

Fig. 4 shows a schematic flowchart of one embodiment of creating or updating a slice group；

Fig. 5 shows a schematic flowchart of one embodiment of terminating or adjusting a network slice；

Fig. 6 shows a schematic block diagram of a slices management apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The following embodiments of the present invention describe the technical solutions with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In a possible model of a network slice, one tenant's services may be provided by one or more network slices ( “slice” may be called “slice instance” ) , and one network slice may include one or more sub-slices corresponding to one or more subnets, such as access network slice subnet and core network slice subnet. Further, one network slice subnet may include one or more network functions (NFs) . The embodiment of the present invention provides a network slices management system for managing network slices and sub-slices.

Referring to Fig. 2, the embodiment of the present invention provides a slices management system and the slices management system includes a business support system (BSS) 201 and a slices management apparatus 202. The BSS 201 is a network entity that a telecommunications service provider uses to run its business operations towards customers or tenants. The slice management apparatus 202 is an entity that creates slice instances and manages slice instances. On a logical level, the slice management apparatus may include a slice manager 2021, which manages network slice instances (NSIs) (

Slices

1, 2, 3) and one or more slice subnet managers (2022, 2023) , which mainly manage network slice subnet instances (NSSIs) (Sub-slices 1 and 2) . A management and orchestration (MANO) 203 may be included in the network slices management system and MANO 203 is mainly a management and orchestration entity for network function virtualization, mainly allocating or adjusting virtualized resources of NFs.

As mentioned above, one tenant's services may be supported by multiple slices. If the tenant expects all the slices to be completely isolated from other tenants'slices, the slice management apparatus will create a slice group for the tenant and the slice group includes all the slices which can provide expected services to the tenant. When multiple such groups for different tenants are created, each of the groups is isolated with each other. The isolation among groups means resources allocated to network slices in a slice group cannot be used by other network slices in another slice group. The “isolation” can avoid negative effects between multiple network slices of different groups. For example, those sensitive or privacy information of one or more tenants in a group can be well protected and will not be obtained or shared by other tenants not within the group； or slice resources are solely for those tenants in a group and will not be used by other tenants not within the group, so quality of service can be well guaranteed for those tenants within the group.

For isolated slice groups, a same slice or a same network function cannot be shared by different groups and therefore slices are isolated between different groups, but within a group, it is possible that different slices are not isolated by sharing one or more network functions. In addition, a slice group may be exclusive to a single tenant or may be shared by multiple tenants according to separate service requirements of different tenants and the type of the group. For example, referring to Fig. 3A, in Group I, which is exclusive to the tenant 1, the “shared NFs” is provided together by the slice B and the slice C； in Group II, which is shared by the tenant 2 and the tenant 3, the “shared NFs” is provided together by the slice E and the slice F. Therefore, although Group I and Group II are isolated with each other, the slice B and the slice C within Group I are not isolated with each other and the slice E and the slice F within Group II are not isolated with each other as well.

Referring to Fig. 3B, each of slice groups has corresponding attributes information which can reflect basic characteristics about the group, and the attributes information may include: (1) group type (exclusive or shared) ； (2) supported service types or supported slice types (smart phones or autonomous driving) ； and (3) information about tenants who use the group (atenant ID) .

Fig. 4 is a flowchart which schematically illustrates one implementation procedure of the present invention. The specific implementation procedure is as follows:

401. A BSS sends a slice instantiation request to a slices management apparatus. The request may carry fields including “service type” , “service level agreement (SLA) information” and “tenant ID” .

The BSS handles service requirements from a tenant and then sends a corresponding slice instantiation request to the slice management apparatus. The service type carried in the slice instantiation request shows what type of service the tenant needs to be provided. The service type may include Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) , Massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC) , Ultra-reliable and Low Latency Communications (uRLLC) , etc. The service type eMBB is for scenarios such as virtual reality and enhanced reality, which require large bandwidth requirements； the service type mMTC is for use of wearable devices and smart grids, which require to support massive access； and the service type uRLLC is for scenarios such as autonomous driving and remote surgery. Alternatively, the slice instantiation request can carry “slice type” instead of “service type” to directly tell what type of slices the slice management apparatus would provide. The SLA information indicates specific level or quality of services the tenant wants to get. Tenant ID indicates the identity of the tenant.

Optionally, a flag “service isolation” can be carried in the request as well. If the flag “service isolation” is carried and its value is “yes” , then it shows the tenant expects the slice management apparatus to create an exclusive group for the tenant. If the flag “service isolation” is carried and its value “no” , then it shows the tenant expects the slice management apparatus to create a shareable group for the tenant. “If no flag “service isolation” is carried, as a default, it may be determined that a tenant expects the slice management apparatus to create an exclusive group for the tenant. It is also workable to determine that a tenant expects to create a shareable group if no flag “service isolation” is carried, which depends on how corresponding rules for this are set. In the embodiment of the present invention, if no service isolation is carried, it is determined that a tenant expects the slice management apparatus to create an exclusive group.

402. After receiving the slice instantiation request, the slice management apparatus creates a slice group including one or more slices. The created slice group includes the following attribute field information: group type, supported service types or supported slice types, and information about tenants ID.

As mentioned above, the slice instantiation request may carry a flag which indicates whether the group that the tenant expects the slice management apparatus to create is exclusive or shareable. When the slice group is created, the field “group type” records corresponding type (exclusive or shareable) .

The supported service types or supported slice types records what type of service each slice in the group can support, which is corresponding to the field “service type” carried in the slice instantiation request. The tenant expects to get some types of services by carrying the fields “service type” , and according to the field “service type” , the slice management apparatus will create a slice group which includes corresponding slices (or slice instances) , one or some of which can separately support some type of service. For example, one or more slices can support service for smart phones and other slices can support service for autonomous driving. If the field carried in the request is “slice type” , not “service type” , then the slice management apparatus can create a slice group which includes such types of slices.

The information about tenants ID records information on how many and which tenants are served by the slice group.

Each of the slices in a slice group includes one or more network functions, which together provide various services to a tenant. Optionally, each of the slices in the slice group may include a plurality of sub-slices and each of the sub-slices includes one or more network functions. Each of the sub-slices provides a more specific function compared to each of the slices. For example, an access network sub-slice can provide corresponding functions related to an access network and a core network sub-slice can provide corresponding functions related to a core network.

To create such slice groups, the slice management apparatus may mark relevant slices that will belong to a slice group. For example, the slice management apparatus may assign a same group ID to each of slices and then these slices with the same group ID will form a slice group； the slice management apparatus may assign another same group ID to each of slices and then these slices with the same group ID will form another slice group. The group ID may be replaced by other similar symbols like “flag” , “time stamp” as long as these slices can be identified as one slice group. When creating a slice group, the slice management apparatus may select existing slices, or create new slices, or both select existing slices and create new slices and then mark them to create the slice group.

Specifically, when the slice management apparatus needs to create slices to create a slice group, the slice management apparatus may perform the following steps:

Step 1. The slice manager in the slice management apparatus decomposes requirements into different sub-requirements.

Step 2. The slice manager then separately sends these sub-requirements to corresponding slice subnet managers in the slice management apparatus.

Step 3. Each of the slice subnet managers will then create sub-slices according to sub-requirements.

For example, a requirement can be sent to an access slice subnet manager and the requirement may carry information about a slice type, subnet requirements, a tenant ID, a slice instantiation ID, and a group ID. Then, the access slice subnet manager would create such a type of sub-slice and corresponding network functions on the sub-slice according to the requirement. Similarly, another requirement can be sent to a core slice subnet manager and the requirement may carry the same slice type, different subnet requirements, the same tenant ID, the same slice instantiation ID, and the same group ID. Then, the core slice subnet manager would create a corresponding sub-slice and corresponding network functions on the sub-slice according to the requirement. Finally, these sub-slices can constitute a slice that is required. When the slice management apparatus only selects existing slices to create a slice group, the steps 1-3 are not needed.

403. Optionally, the slice management apparatus may further receive another request for updating associated with the same tenant as described in the step 401.

After a slice group is created and some services are provided for a tenant for some time, the tenant may expect to add new services which are not being provided in the current slice group or to cut existing services. In this scenario, the request carries the same tenant ID, and a service type and SLA information and the request may further carry a slice group ID. If the update is adding a new slice, then a new service type and new SLA information are carried； if the update is modifying an existing slice, then the same service type is carried, but the SLA information is different.

404. The slice management apparatus determines the request is for updating and then updates the slice group according to the request.

According to the slice group ID, the slice management apparatus determines that it is a request for updating and then executes an updating operation. Even if no slice group ID is carried in the request, the slice management apparatus can find out whether the request is for updating by searching the tenant ID to find whether there is a slice group existing for the tenant. The update operation includes but is not limited to adding a new slice； terminating an existing slice； adding NFs in an existing slice； terminating NFs in an existing slice； or reconfiguring NFs in an existing slice； or any combination of them. When updating the group by adding new slices or terminating or adjust existing slices, the slice management apparatus may send sub-requirements to slice subnet managers to create sub-slices or terminate or adjust existing slices according to the sub-requirements.

It is also possible that the request for updating is marked with a flag that shows that this is an update request when the request is sent by the BSS. The BSS can determine whether the request from a tenant is for updating and then mark it or not.

405. Optionally, the slice management apparatus may receive a slice instantiation request associated with another tenant. The request carries fields including “service type” , “service level agreement (SLA) information” and “tenant ID” .

406. The slice management apparatus determines whether the slice group created in step 402 can be shared by the other tenant； if yes, sharing the slice group with the other tenant； if no, creating a new slice group for the other tenant.

Specifically, the slice management apparatus determines whether a flag “service isolation” is carried in the slice instantiation request associated with the other tenant. If the flag “service isolation” is carried and its value is “no” , and the slice group created in step 402 is shareable, then the slice management apparatus determines the slice group can be shared by the other tenant and will share the slice group created in the step 402 with the other tenant； otherwise, the slice management apparatus determines the slice group cannot be shared by the other tenant and then will create another new slice group for the other tenant. If a flag “service isolation” is carried and its value is “yes” or no flag “service isolation” is carried, then the slice management apparatus will create a new slice group for the other tenant and the new slice group is marked “isolated” ； If a flag “service isolation” is carried and its value is “no” , but the slice group created in the step 402 is “exclusive” , then the slice management apparatus determines the slice group cannot be shared by the other tenant and will then create a new slice group for the other tenant and the new slice group is marked “shareable” .

In the step 406, it is possible that the slice management apparatus does not determine if the slice group created in the step 402 can be shared by the other tenant at all and always creates a new separate slice group for the other tenant. The advantage may be the procedure of creating slice groups is simpler but more network resources will be wasted because more slice groups have to be created.

Optionally, the slice management apparatus may further receive a slice request for updating associated with the other tenant as described in the step 405, and the slice management apparatus then updates the slice group according to the request. The specific procedure of updating is the same as described in step 404.

Optionally, when the slice management apparatus continues to receive a new instantiation request from a third tenant, the procedure is similar as described in the

steps

405 and 406. The main difference is that the slice management apparatus will determine if either of the slice groups created for the tenants in the

steps

402 and 406 can be shared by the third tenant； if there is one slice group which can be shared, the slice management apparatus will share the slice group with the third tenant； if no, the slice management apparatus will create a new slice group for the third tenant. As mentioned above, the slice management apparatus may not determine if the existing slice groups can be shared and directly create a separate new slice group for the third tenant.

In the embodiment described in the

steps

405 and 406, if the slice management apparatus determines the slice group can be shared by the other tenant, the slice management apparatus will share the slice group with the other tenant. Specifically, the slice management apparatus may send different requirements to different slice subnet managers for creating sub-slices. When one of the slice subnet managers is creating sub-slices and finds that there is one network function in an existing slice that can be shared, then the slice subnet manager further determines whether the shareable network function should be modified. Modification includes a basic resource change, such as a resource expansion. If the network function needs to be changed, a request is sent to MANO for a resource change and to an NF for a configuration change at the same time. After the process of resource expansion is completed, the slice subnet manager will configure the network function to be shared by different slices, as shown in Fig. 3A, the “shared NFs” is provided together by the slice E and the slice F. Similarly, when creating a slice group which is exclusive to a tenant, the slice management apparatus may send different requirements to different slice subnet managers for creating sub-slices. When there is one network function that can be shared, the slice subnet manager will share the network functions between different slices, as shown in Fig. 2, the “shared NFs” is provided together by the slice B and the slice C.

Regarding the update operation for a slice group, a specific example is given in Fig. 5. The specific procedures are as follows:

501. A BSS sends a request for terminating or adjusting a network slice to a slices management apparatus, and the request carries a network slice instantiation ID and an indication to terminate or adjust the slice.

502. A slice manager in the slice management apparatus receives the request for terminating or adjusting the network slice and sends the request to a slice subnet manager, where the request carries a network slice instantiation ID and an indication to terminate or adjust sub-slices of the network slice.

503. The slice subnet manager terminates or adjusts the slice instance.

When terminating a slice or a sub-slice instance, the slice subnet manager determines if only the slice instance exists in a group； if yes, the slice subnet manager terminates information related to the group and information related to the slice instance. Otherwise, the slice subnet manager only terminates the information related to the slice instance.

The adjusting of slices may include terminating dedicated NFs or changing shared NFs in a slice. For a to-be-terminated NF, the slice subnet manager sends a message to MANO, indicating deletion of the NF. For a to-be-changed NF, the slice subnet manager sends a message to MANO indicating change of the NF and the slice subnet manager may further sends a reconfiguration message to the NF.

504-505. After terminating the subnet slice instance, the slice subnet manager returns an ACK message to the slice manager and the slice manager returns an ACK message to the BSS.

Fig. 6 provides a schematic block diagram of a possible physical implementation of the slices management apparatus of Fig. 2. It mainly comprises a transceiver, one or more processors and a memory. The memory stores one or more programs which when executed cause the slices management apparatus to perform the above steps 401-406 and other steps performed by the slice management apparatus. Mainly, the programs include:

instructions for receiving a slice instantiation request associated with a tenant via the transceiver；

instructions for creating a slice group for the tenant based on the slice instantiation request；

where the slice group includes at least one network slice and each of the at least one network slice includes one or more NFs.

Further, the program includes instructions for receiving an updating request associated with the first tenant via the transceiver, and instructions for updating the first slice group according to the updating request； wherein the updating request carries the ID of the first slice group.

Further, the program includes instructions for updating the first slice group includes instructions for: adding a new slice, which includes NFs, in the first slice group； terminating an existing slice, which includes NFs, in the first slice group； adding NFs in an existing slice； terminating NFs in an existing slice； or reconfiguring NFs in an existing slice； or any combination of them.

When the first slice instantiation request carries a field which indicates whether the first slice group is exclusive or shareable and the program further includes instructions for: receiving a second slice instantiation request associated with a second tenant via the transceiver； determining if the first slice group can be shared by the second tenant； if yes, sharing the first slice group with the second tenant； if no, creating a second slice group for the second tenant.

Further, the program includes instructions for: creating a first and/or a second slice group by marking one or more existing slices with a same group ID, or creating one or more slices and then marking the created slices with a same group ID； or creating one or more slices and then marking one or more existing slices and the created slices with a same group ID.

As mentioned above, Fig 2. provides a schematic block diagram for the system for managing network slices in a communication network, the network slices providing a plurality of network functions, NFs, for use by one or more tenants. The system comprises among others, a business support system (BSS) , a slices management apparatus. Mainly,

the BSS is configured to send a slice instantiation request associated with a tenant；

the slice management apparatus is configured to receive, via a transceiver, the slice instantiation request, and based on the slice instantiation request, create a slice group for the tenant；

Further, the slice management apparatus is configured to perform the above steps 401-406 and other steps performed by the slice management apparatus.

A person of ordinary skill in the art may understand that all or some of the steps of the embodiments may be implemented by hardware or a program instructing related hardware. The program may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. The storage medium may include: a read-only memory, a magnetic disk, or an optical disc. The computer readable storage medium storing executable program instructions which when executed cause a data processing system (e.g. the above slices management apparatus or the system for managing network slices) to perform the above steps 401-406 and other relevant steps.

The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Any modification, equivalent replacement, and improvement made without departing from the principle of the present invention shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

A method for managing network slices in a communication network performed by a slices management apparatus, the network slices providing a plurality of network functions, NFs, for use by one or more tenants, the method comprising:

receiving a first slice instantiation request associated with a first tenant；

based on the first slice instantiation request, creating a first slice group for the first tenant；

wherein the first slice group includes at least one network slice and each of the at least one network slice includes one or more NFs.
The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an updating request associated with the first tenant, and

updating the first slice group according to the updating request；

wherein the updating request carries the ID of the first slice group.
The method according to claim 2, wherein the updating includes at least one of the following:

adding a new slice, which includes NFs, in the first slice group；

terminating an existing slice, which includes NFs, in the first slice group；

adding NFs in an existing slice；

terminating NFs in an existing slice； or

reconfiguring NFs in an existing slice.
The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first slice instantiation request carries a field which indicates whether the first group is exclusive or shareable.
The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a second slice instantiation request associated with a second tenant；

determining if the first slice group can be shared by the second tenant, based on the first slice instantiation request；

if yes, sharing the first slice group with the second tenant；

if no, creating a second slice group for the second tenant.
The method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the step of determining if the first slice group can be shared by the other tenant includes:

if the first slice group is shareable, and the second slice instantiation request carries a field which indicates non-isolation, then the first slice group can be shared by the second tenant； otherwise, the first slice group cannot be shared by the second tenant.
The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each of the slices in the slice group includes a plurality of sub-slices and each of the sub-slices includes one or more network functions.
The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the step of creating the first and/or the second slice group is performed by:

marking one or more existing slices with a same group ID, or

creating one or more slices and then marking the created slices with a same group ID； or

creating one or more slices and then marking one or more existing slices and the created slices with a same group ID.
A slices management apparatus for managing network slices in a communication network, the network slices providing a plurality of network functions, NFs, for use by one or more tenants, the apparatus comprising:

a transceiver；

one or more processors； and

non-transitory computer-readable memory storing a program to be executed by the one or more processors, the program including:

instructions for receiving a first slice instantiation request associated with a first tenant via the transceiver；

instructions for creating a first slice group for the first tenant based on the first slice instantiation request；

wherein the first slice group includes at least one network slice and each of the at least one network slice includes one or more NFs.
The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the program further includes:

instructions for receiving an updating request associated with the first tenant via the transceiver, and

instructions for updating the first slice group according to the updating request；

wherein the updating request carries the ID of the first slice group.
The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein instructions for updating the first slice group includes instructions for performing at least one of the following:

adding a new slice, which includes NFs, in the first slice group；

terminating an existing slice, which includes NFs, in the first slice group；

adding NFs in an existing slice；

terminating NFs in an existing slice； or

reconfiguring NFs in an existing slice.
The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first slice instantiation request carries a field which indicates whether the first slice group is exclusive or shareable and the program further includes instructions for:

receiving a second slice instantiation request associated with a second tenant via the transceiver；

determining if the first slice group can be shared by the second tenant；

if yes, sharing the first slice group with the second tenant；

if no, creating a second slice group for the second tenant.
The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the program further includes instructions for:

creating a first and/or a second slice group by marking one or more existing slices with a same group ID, or

creating one or more slices and then marking the created slices with a same group ID； or

creating one or more slices and then marking one or more existing slices and the created slices with a same group ID.
A system for managing network slices in a communication network, the network slices providing a plurality of network functions, NFs, for use by one or more tenants, comprising:

a business support system, BSS, configured to send a first slice instantiation request associated with a first tenant；

a slices management apparatus, configured to receive the first slice instantiation request via a transceiver, and based on the first slice instantiation request, create a first slice group for the first tenant；

wherein the first slice group includes at least one network slice and each of the at least one network slice includes one or more NFs.
The system according to claim 14, wherein:

the BSS is configured to send an updating request associated with the first tenant； and

the slice management apparatus is configured to update the first slice group according to the updating request；

wherein the updating request carries the ID of the first slice group.
The system according to claim 15, wherein the slice management apparatus is configured to update the first slice group by performing at least one of the following:

adding a new slice, which includes NFs, in the first slice group；

terminating an existing slice, which includes NFs, in the first slice group；

adding NFs in an existing slice； terminating NFs in an existing slice； or

reconfiguring NFs in an existing slice.
The system according to claim 14, wherein the first slice instantiation request carry a field which indicates whether the first and second slide groups are exclusive or shareable and wherein:

the BSS is configured to send a second slice instantiation request associated with a second tenant； and

the slice management apparatus is configured to determine if the first slice group can be shared by the second tenant；

if yes, share the first slice group with the second tenant；

if no, create a second slice group for the second tenant.
The system according to claim 14, wherein the system is configured to create the first and/or the second slice group by marking one or more existing slices with a same group ID, or creating one or more slices and then marking the created slices with a same group ID； or creating one or more slices and then marking one or more existing slices and the created slices with a same group ID.
A computer readable storage medium storing executable program instructions which when executed cause a slices management apparatus to perform the method of any of claims 1 to 8.